Problem was that after listening to it once, I listened to it a second time, because it cracked me up so much. And dammit if the song isn't actually catchy. So I spent the rest of the afternoon at work listening to it on Spotify, and thinking about pirates.
So pirates. Obviously the glorified fictional kind, and not the very real modern day ones. Famous for treasure hunts and quests. On the trail of hidden booty, usually whilst wearing rather fantastic boots. Sometimes it turns out to be misleading, and X doesn't always mark the spot in the way you might think. Weirdly, I can relate. I also imagine that a lot of you out there can, too.
So many of us living with diabetes are on the trail of some goal or other. Whether it's a better HbA1c, a pump, losing weight, more stable levels...the list goes on and on. For me at the moment, it's getting a better grip on my carb ratios, and having fewer hypos. Getting myself sorted generally, and into a better routine.
Another thing that came to mind when thinking about pirates came because I'm currently re-watching The West Wing, (it fills me with hope!), and the episode 'And It's Surely To Their Credit' was on the other night. In the episode, several characters keep mixing HMS Pinafore with The Pirates of Penzance. Apparently, 'He is an Englishman' is in 'the one about duty'. As various characters point out though, when it comes to Gilbert and Sullivan, 'they're all about duty'.
I love a bit of Gilbert and Sullivan (I really do!), and duty is an interesting thing to think about. Like pretty much every G&S is about duty, pretty much every person I've met in the DOC (diabetes online community for anyone who has been puzzled) has been about duty as well. Speaking I personally, I know that I feel a sense of duty to myself. No-one is going to do the work I need to do for me. If I want to look after my health, it's my duty to do everything that I can.
I also see an amazing level of devotion to duty in the DOC from parents, friends, partners, spouses. People who don't have diabetes themselves, but are willing to step up to the mark, and fight. Fight for good health, fight for better public understanding, fight for the right to access proper and appropriate care. Now that's spirit for you. Pirates would be proud!
So welcome aboard the good HMS Diabetes! As far as I'm concerned, you're welcome whatever your treasure hunt may be. You're all pirates of the best kind. And if the ninjas decide to turn up for a fight, I believe we've got at least some of them on our side!
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We are total D-Pirates, every single one of us! Each of us wearing the Admirals hat and sailing the D-course. Sometimes rocky, sometimes smooth, always interesting!
AAARRRGGGGG